Seattle University’s cross country and indoor and outdoor track and field teams will be eligible to compete in the Great West Conference championships in 2009-10.

Seattle will join Chicago State, Houston Baptist, NJIT, North Dakota, South Dakota, Texas-Pan American and Utah Valley as Great West members in track and field and cross country.

Seattle is in its second year of reclassification from Division II to Division I and must compete against Division I competition. The school’s men’s soccer program will compete in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation. Softball affiliated with the Pacific Coast Softball Conference, and men’s and women’s swimming will continue participating in the Pacific Collegiate Swim Conference.

“This is a terrific opportunity for our student-athletes in cross country and track and field to be able to compete for a conference championship,” said Athletics Director Bill Hogan. “Our program has grown by leaps and bounds over the past several years, and the coaches and student-athletes are ready to measure themselves against other Great West schools.”